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D EAR E NGLAND, I'm not sure how to start this letter but I feel we need to talk. I've been thinking about us a lot lately. Things used to be so great - it was like we were meant for each other. I mean everyone said it was perfect. I really thought we would be together forever but then things changed. I feel like you started to take me for granted. You just started to do whatever you wanted and never even asked me about anything or how I felt.

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I've been thinking about this for a while and I don't want to hurt you but I think it is time we broke up. I mean it's just not going to work. Sorry. I just need some time By myself to see what it is like on my own. I'm sorry things didn't work out but I do think YOU are the one to blame. Sorry but "US“ is over. - The American Colonies

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W HY ARE WE BREAKING UP ? American colonies were not happy with England and King George III A list of grievances, or complaints, were sent, but the king never answered them On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee announced before congress that “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”

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T HE C OMMITTEE OF F IVE The committee consisted of two New England men, John Adams of Massachusetts and Roger Sherman of Connecticut; two men from the Middle Colonies, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York; and one southerner, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. In 1823 Jefferson wrote that the other members of the committee “unanimously pressed on myself alone to undertake the draught [sic]. I consented; I drew it; but before I reported it to the committee I communicated it separately to Dr. Franklin and Mr. Adams requesting their corrections... I then wrote a fair copy, reported it to the committee, and from them, unaltered to the Congress.”

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T HE F OURTH OF J ULY The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, Did you know: only 12 of the 13 colonies adopted the declaration. New York did not vote. Did you know: the declaration was not signed by all of the delegates until August 7, 1776 Did you know: John Hancock, president of congress, was the first man to sign the declaration. Did you know: every man to sign the declaration was considered a traitor by England and their lives were endangered

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F IVE P ARTS 1) Introduction – Independence is unavoidable… 2) Preamble – because there are some things that men cannot live without. 3) Body (part I) – You (England) have abused us. 4) Body (part II) – We asked you to fix the problems and you ignored us… 5) Conclusion -- so we are breaking up with you.

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R EADING FOR ARGUMENT As we read Consider this: When is rebellion justified? What is loyalty? How is it inspired? Note: Argumentation test is next Tuesday, Oct. 25. We will read and examine argument until then. You are expected to read and take c-notes daily.

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D ECLARATION A SSIGNMENT With your groups read, discuss and take c-notes on: “The Declaration of Independence” (238) What claim does Jefferson present in the preamble of the Declaration, and what evidence does he say he’ll provide? What counterargument does Jefferson anticipate in lines 15-22? What claim does he make at the end of the same paragraph? Read lines Check out the first person plural pronouns (“we” and “our”). How is Jefferson inspiring unity of purpose? How does this paragraph support his inspirational tone? Support your notes with evidence from the text.

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C RISIS A SSIGNMENT “Crisis” (248) Identify the loaded language (words with strong connotation) in lines What kind of emotional appeal do these words have? What tone do they establish? Check out lines Notice the ethical appeal? What is it? How does he say a parent should behave? Look at likes Notice the persuasive purpose? (He uses emotionally-loaded words to appeal to the beliefs shared by the colonists who read his essays.) In lines : More use of emotional appeal.